Jointly managing migration from North Africa

On 11 April, EU home affairs ministers adopted conclusions on the management of migration from the southern neighbourhood, focussing on immediate measures. "We made a seriously great step in our work," said Sándor Pintér, Hungarian Minister for the Interior, who chaired the meeting.

Joint operation Hermes, disembarkation of migrants
Photo: courtesy of Frontex

The Council decided to extend a pilot project for the relocation of beneficiaries of international protection who have arrived in Malta. Several member states are prepared to receive a number of refugees in the near future.

With regard to the need for further resources, the Commission will mobilise supplementary funds to be made available to member states and the EU border-control agency Frontex. The Council asked member states to provide more human and technical resources for operations run by the agency. In the central Mediterranean region, Italy and Frontex are conducting a joint operation called Hermes 2011. Another Frontex joint operation, Poseidon 2011, is divided into two components, land and sea. The operational area of Poseidon Sea, the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, has recently been widened to include Crete in preparation for a potential migration flow from Libya.

Agreement on a regulation strengthening Frontex's operational capacities should be reached by June 2011.

In order to put in place a comprehensive long-term strategy to address migration, mobility and security with the countries of the southern neighbourhood region, the Commission is expected to present a communication and a number of concrete proposals in advance of an extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council on 12 May and the next regular JHA Council on 9 and 10 June. At the European Council on 24 June, the heads of state and government are then expected to discuss and endorse this comprehensive approach.

More information:
Press release (pdf)
Press conference webcast